First licensed in 1961 as KN3QDD, then K3QDD, W1DVH, K1RC, N6XI, N7TN and then back to N6XI. My dad, may his memory be for a blessing, was K3QDC. My beloved wife of many years is Ann, KD6MOB and our son Jeremy is KC6YEW but neither of them is radio-active. I am trustee of the Truckee-based Filly Contest Group, WF6C and was formerly trustee of the Boy Scout Troop 566 ARC K6BSA. I am retired from TIBCO Software Inc. and now split my CA time between Saratoga and Truckee where I have finally established official residence. For more info on the Truckee station, see my WF6C Page. For more info on me, see my personal ham radio page or my personal home page.

My first love in radio was CW traffic handling in the 60's, followed quickly by contesting. I joined PVRC and operated a lot of CD Parties and CW SS. In college in the late 60's, I joined Murphy's Marauders in New England. As an undergrad at MIT, I was an officer of the MIT Radio Society and after graduation, as a staff member at MIT Draper Lab, became trustee of the club station W1MX. We did some interesting low-budget multi-op efforts there! Moving to CA in 1976, I joined NCCC and helped out in some of the dynasty years in SS. Also did some multi-op DX contests from N6RO and other Bay Area stations. The highlights of my contesting career have been:

* 2010 WRTC as teammate to K6XX in the Moscow running of WRTC.

   We did OK, placing 25th out of 48 (49?), missing the top half by one QSO. This was

   the absolute highlight of my life as a radio contester.

* 1983 CQ WW CW DX contest as N6XI/4X Single Op All Band High Power

   (7th world/1st Asia)

* a M/S with N6NT at ZF2NT in the 2002 ARRL DX CW

   (2nd place M/S, world)

* as a Team Vertical op at 6Y2A in the 2002 CQ WW WPX CW

   (2nd place M/M, world)

* at HC8N in the 2003 WW WPX CW

   (1st place M/2, world)

* at P40L in the 2004, 2005 and 2011 CQ WW CW

   (1st or 2nd place M/S, world).

I am a past-president of the Northern CA Contest club. My radio interests also include QRP construction and operating. I am an inactive member of the "elite and highly selective" Norcal QRP Club. ;-) I have built the Norcal NC-40, NC-20, Sierra and currently use the Elecraft K-3, and KX-3. QRP rigs have reawakened my interest in radio on the hiking trail and general ragchewing. A casual DXer, I have worked about 250 countries but I don't keep up with my QSLs, so my card count is much lower. I am a member of ARRL, NCCC, CWops and FOC.

My other interests include flying (Private, Instrument), skiing, backpacking, scuba diving, fishing and community service. I'm trying to learn golf but find it a lot harder than SO2R. When I am not on the air I am often in the air in my Cessna T210 based at Truckee-Tahoe Airport in Truckee, CA and Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose, CA. Aviation, like ham radio, is under attack by NIMBYs who would like to disallow anyone doing anything that they themselves do not enjoy. Please support your local airport and enlightened politicians who believe in "live and let live." Without your help, we will all be subjugated to the tyranny of the majority. Thank you.

73,

/Rick N6XI